African-American Fine Art Increasing in Value

Golden State Mutual, a black-owned insurance company in Los Angeles, auctioned off their entire collection earlier this month. The works sold for more than $1.5 million; some pieces sold for three times their appraised value.

The following are some of the works that sold at prices above and beyond their stated worth.

Slum Song by Hughie Lee-Smith — oil on canvas, 1944. It sold for an artist record price of $216,000 (including buyer's premium).

Courtesy Swann Galleries

General Moses (Harriet Tubman) by Charles White — Chinese ink on two joined sheets of illustration board, 1965. It sold for an artist record of $360,000 (including buyer's premium).

Maudelle by Beulah Woodard — fired terra-cotta painted brown with white and green additions, circa 1937-38. It sold for $14,400.

The Brother by Charles White — ink on thick cream illustration board, 1968. It sold for $144,000 (including buyer's premium).